Cotton balls, swabs, and gauzes are commonly used for a variety of reasons. For instance, a cotton ball can be used to apply diaper rash ointments, medications, alcohol, oral anesthetics, etc. Moreover, in some cases, a cotton ball can also be utilized to remove various types of materials from a person, such as, for example, facial makeup or may be used to polish or clean various objects. In each of these fields, the cotton ball or swab is typically configured to deliver a particular additive or ingredient to the area of application.
However, in some instances, it may be difficult for a user to apply an additive to a cotton ball, for example, without undesirably spilling some of the additive. Moreover, cotton materials can often be relatively expensive and difficult to process in comparison to other types of materials. As such, a need currently exists for an improved product capable of delivering an additive, such as a medication, to a particular area of application. In particular, a need currently exists for a finger wipe capable of insulating a finger while delivering a particular additive.
In addition, another field in which a device is required to deliver an additive or ingredient is the field of teeth or gum cleaning. Teeth cleaning is regularly required to maintain dental hygiene. Various films and residues, such as plaque, can build up on teeth and gums over a period of time, thereby adversely affecting oral health. In the past, toothbrushes have been utilized to remove such films and residues. Conventional toothbrushes typically have two ends with one end being a handle and the other containing bristles designed to disrupt and remove plaque and other residues from the surfaces being cleaned.
Although conventional toothbrushes are useful in a wide variety of environments, in some circumstances, they are less than desirable. For example, some individuals desire to maintain dental hygiene by brushing their teeth throughout the day. Unfortunately, many daily environments do not provide a setting which fosters or even allows such activity. Moreover, travelers and those working in office environments may not find it convenient to use a toothbrush during the day. For instance, toothbrushes are not generally well suited to be carried by persons on a day-to-day basis because of their bulky shape and the need to have access to a restroom lavatory.
In response to this desire for more frequent dental hygiene and for a cleaning device that can be easily used in public, various portable toothbrushes have been developed. In particular, a number of finger-mounted teeth cleaning devices were developed that could be placed over a finger and wiped over the teeth and gums. These devices are typically small, portable, and disposable.
Examples of oral cleaning devices and finger wipes are disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,987 to McDevitt, et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,549 also to McDevitt, et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.
Although the articles disclosed in the above patents have provided great advances in the art, further improvements are still needed. In particular, a need exists for a disposable finger wipe that is associated with a cleaning or treatment composition. In particular, a need exists for a finger wipe that contains an easily dispensable composition that is incorporated into the structure of the finger wipe. The composition may comprise, for instance, a cleaning solution, a pharmaceutical, and the like.